1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of preventing dry spots from developing on the grass surface of a golf course and treating the already developed dry spots to maintain the golf course in a well managed condition.
2. The Prior Art
Recently, development of dry spots on the sand bent grass greens of golf courses has been a serious problem. A dry spot is an irregularly shaped area damaged by dryness due to an unknown cause. If the symptoms are advanced, the grass will eventually die.
The cause of dry spots can be consolidation of the soil, uneven water sprinkling, washing off of rain and sprinkled water and water repellency of the soil, of which water repellency of the soil is the most frequent cause. Once the water content of the soil is reduced and water repellency has developed, it becomes hard for sprinkled water to permeate and effective water sprinkling becomes difficult. Speculated causes of the water repellency include production of a water repellent substance by microorganisms, but a complete explanation has yet to be offered.
Methods which have been attempted to prevent dry spots include preventing the water content of the soil from decreasing, i.e. thorough water sprinkling management, sprinkling of a wetting agent to improve the wetting properties of the soil. However, there were the following problems: thorough sprinkling management required a significant workforce, securing enough water was difficult in some areas, and, as for sprinkling of a commercial wetting agent, there was a problem in the duration of the effect and an increase in the number of sprinklings lead to excessive foaming, requiring the use of a defoaming agent.